


moonlight

by gemmywrites



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Denial of Feelings, First Kiss, M/M, Practice Kissing, Soft Boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:00:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24263233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gemmywrites/pseuds/gemmywrites
Summary: JJ offered to teach Pope how to kiss. Neither of them expected to enjoy it as much as they did.
Relationships: JJ/Pope (Outer Banks)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 204





	moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> this is also on my tumblr blog @gemmywrites !

In retrospect, this was all JJ’s fault. He’d pushed and pushed, wanting to know everything about Pope’s love life, even though it was practically nonexistent. And Pope had told him to knock It off, leave it alone, mind his own business, but JJ doesn’t know how to do that, sometimes. 

So he kept prying about why Pope never picks up any girls during their parties. Pope didn’t know what kind of answer JJ even wanted, because apparently “I just never want to” isn’t enough. Eventually JJ shuts up about it, and Pope finally thinks he’s off the hook. But then, when they’ve fallen into a comfortable silence, both laid out on Pope’s bed, JJ goes:

“Ok, so, what’s the problem? Do you suck at kissing or something? Don’t know how?” When Pope hesitates to respond, JJ puts on a terrible British accent and quips, “Oh, spot on, mate!”

“Knock it off.” 

“I’ll teach you.” JJ shrugs, propping himself up with one arm. Pope blinks, stunned by how nonchalantly his friend just offered to _kiss_ him. “Wait- you have kissed someone before, right?”

It wouldn’t be so bad for JJ to be his first kiss. They were friends. It was better than his first kiss being with some random Touron that he’d never see again. If he kissed JJ, at least he’d have good memories about the person he had his first kiss with. Yeah. 

“Yeah! Of course I have.” Pope lies, probably sounding a bit suspicious for leaving such an awkward pause before he answered. He sits up and scoots to the edge of his bed. JJ follows suit. 

JJ was familiar. He could kiss JJ. No problem. And he definitely doesn’t need to think about the fact that he isn’t the least bit bothered about the idea of kissing a boy, and it seems JJ isn’t, either. 

“So…” Pope trails off, unsure of what to do. 

“Okay.” JJ slaps his hand down on Pope’s shoulder, looking him dead in the eye. “The only way you get better at kissing is if you just do it more. It’s about experience, not skill, or something. So,”

And then he’s leaning in without warning. It seems like slow motion, with Pope sitting as stiff as a board, staring at JJ’s lips as they grew closer to his. When they touched, Pope melts. It was difficult for Pope to imagine what kissing would be like, but none of the scenarios he had created in his head compared to this. He thought kissing would be exciting, fueled with adrenaline and sparks flying. Kissing JJ was all of these things, but it was also comforting, tranquilizing, and ingenuous. 

When Pope feels JJ about the break the kiss, he leans forward to chase his lips, but JJ inhales sharply and jolts away like he'd been shocked. 

“I-“ Pope is at a loss for words. 

“That was… good. Good! Yeah, that was… uh…” 

“T-Thanks. Dude. So-“ 

“I don’t think you need my help, bro. You seem like you know what you’re doing.” JJ is looking everywhere except at Pope.

“Really?” Pope questions, about to voice the fact that _he couldn’t be that good, it was his first kiss, after all,_ before realizing that this wasn’t supposed to be his first kiss. “I mean, cool. Guess I’m just... awesome.” 

He feels glued to the bed, but even if Pope could will himself to move, he’d have no where to run. They were in his house. He didn’t even know if he wanted to run. He felt like he wanted to get closer. He felt like he wanted to kiss JJ again. 

But the other boy stood up before Pope got the chance. JJ ran a hand through his hair, face riddled with confusion, stress, and something else. 

“I gotta go.” He only glanced at Pope for a moment before he was opening the bedroom door, followed by the sound of the front door slamming closed a moment later. The loud noise seemed to release Pope from whatever trance he was in, as he promptly fell backwards onto the bed and groaned into his hands. 

So now JJ’s been avoiding him for two days, and he’s the one who caused this situation in the first place. If he didn’t keep bugging Pope, Pope wouldn’t be scouring The Cut for him right now. But he is. And he can’t even be bothered to feel awkward about the kiss or about how JJ ran off, because his best friend is missing. His best friend is missing, and he doesn’t have time to process the fact that he might want JJ to be more than that. 

When Kiara and John B found out that he was the last one to see JJ, he’d been interrogated intensely. But what was Pope supposed to say? That he kissed JJ and liked it so much, he wanted to do it again? Or that he kissed JJ, and JJ hated it so much that he ran away? So Pope went off on his own, and when he finally found JJ, it was in the dumbest place of all time. 

It was well past sunset when Pope stumbled across JJ just sitting on the beach at The Boneyard. His knees were gathered up to his chest, and he was staring blindly into the waves that lapped at the shore. Relief washed away Pope’s nerves at the sight of him, and he settled into the sand beside the blonde-haired boy. 

He doesn’t know what to say, other than, “I was worried about you.” 

“Well, here I am. Safe and sound.” JJ’s voice is cold, feeling so far away despite Pope being able to feel the heat radiating off his skin. 

Pope chews his bottom lip, the phantom feeling of JJ’s hand on his shoulder sending a tingle down his spine. He remembers the kiss much more vividly with the boy right beside him. 

“Look… I know that you regret the kiss, so,” Pope swallows, his throat feeling like it’s lined with cotton balls. “We can just forget it ever happened.” 

It’s not what Pope wants. Not really. But he wants to save his friendship. JJ snorts and shakes his head, still refusing to even glance in Pope’s direction. 

“I can’t just _forget_ something like that, Pope.” His voice is barely a whisper. 

“Why?” Pope’s voice cracks, he sounds like he’s pleading and arguing all at once. “I’m sorry, JJ, please, why can’t we just-“

“Because I liked it!” JJ shouts, and then anxiously cards his hand through his hair. His hardened expression falters, crumbling to reveal a boy, small and terrified. “I liked it, man.” 

He buries his face into his knees, shoulders shaking silently. Pope’s heart is about to burst out of his chest from how fast it’s beating. 

“So did I.” He might throw up. 

JJ raises his head slowly to look at Pope with disbelieving, teary eyes. The edge of his mouth quivers. Pope’s fingers twitch, desperately wanting to reach out for him. 

“So did I.” He repeats, a little bolder this time. 

JJ stares, searching for something within Pope’s eyes. Pope holds his breath and hopes that he finds whatever he’s looking for. He must, because a moment later he sends Pope a soft smile and lets himself fall back into the sand. Pope watches, letting himself admire the way the light from the stars reflects off JJ’s face, and then settles onto his back as well. JJ’s hand reaches for his almost immediately. Pope soaks up the feeling of JJ’s skin against his. 

It’s 2 a.m. 

The two boys lay side by side in the sand, sharing the comfortable silence between them, painted blue by the pale moonlight.


End file.
